Loan moves are the ultimate road-test of potential signings for AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley, having signed both Kwesi Appiah from Crystal Palace and Deji Oshilaja from Cardiff City after they impressed in short-term spells.

Oshilaja played 23 games while on loan at the Dons in 2015 while Appiah scored three goals in seven appearances in a very brief spell at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in 2014.

And Ardley was sufficiently impressed both on and off the pitch with the pair to bring them back to south London this summer when the chance arose.

However, the Dons boss admits it works both ways as not only does he get a better understanding of a player through seeing them on a day-to-day basis, but they get a feel for how he likes to run his ship.

Deji Oshilaja in action for Wimbledon in 2015 (Image: West London and Bucks Advertiser)

“I think it can be a factor when they have worked with you before,” Ardley explained.

“I looked at some of our short-comings from last season. When you sign a new player you do all your home-work on them but when you have a player in who has played for you already then you've seen them play, seen them train, seen their personality, how they deal with pressure, how they deal with adversity and what they are like within the changing room.

“When you put that all together you have a much more rounded opinion of a player you've worked with before rather a new player. Both [Appiah and Oshilaja] fitted the criteria that I was desperate to put into the team.”